ISLAMABAD   -   The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Thursday issued notices to secretaries of Interior and Defence and other respondents in Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) Founder Imran Khan’s petition seeking judicial intervention in the affairs of the Rawalpindi Central Jail as he asserted that the prison is being managed by officials of an intelligence agency.

A single bench of IHC comprising Chief Justice of IHC Justice Aamer Farooq conducted hearing of the petition moved by the former prime minister through his counsel Shoaib Shaheen Advocate and adopted the stance that the two intelligence officials virtually control the prison. After issuing the notices, the bench directed all the respondents including Superintendent Adiala Jail and Home Department Punjab to submit their replies in this matter till the next week.

In his petition, Imran said that despite IHC’s clear orders, the superintendent of Adiala Jail did not allow him to consult with the PTI leadership as well as lawyers. He mentioned the case recently decided by the IHC in which the high court, while referring to Rule 265 of the Jail Manual, observed that the inmate is entitled to writing letters and interviews twice a week.

Imran said in the petition, “It is clarified that this order is passed to remind, reiterate and preserve the values and traditions of our legal system and has little to do with the identity of the petitioner alone. These values and traditions must apply across the board, irrespective of who the petitioner is, but, it goes without saying, they acquire greater prominence when the prisoner in question happens to be not only a political leader with substantial following but also the erstwhile holder of the highest executive office of the nation.” The petitioner maintained that the IHC has time and again directed the Superintendent of Adiala Jail to “revise the standard operating procedure that two days in a week are insufficient for the purpose of a meeting”.